Clippers @ Warriors Playoffs Gm. #3 Game Thread 2014-04-24

In Game 1, Griffin had 16 points and three rebounds in 19 minutes before he fouled out. The All-Star forward regrouped to score a career playoff-high 35 points in Game 2. He shot 13 of 17 from the floor, made 9 of 10 free throws and grabbed six rebounds - doing it all in just 30 minutes.
The Clippers forced 26 turnovers, shutdown streaky shooting Stephen Curry most of the game and took advantage of the absence of Warriors center Andrew Bogut - who is out indefinitely with a fractured right rib.
"We realized that if we played our game and do....

anyone watching the mavs at spurs??? wow 20+ point lead. Never thought the spurs would allow so much turnover...

pageC4

04/23/2014 - 09:51 PM PST

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Dallas pulls off the upset I'm glad this is happening too many of the sports media keeps acting as if the spurs were still the same team of 2007

JahvonTheClip

04/23/2014 - 10:07 PM PST

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Well according to dub fans, if you win 1 game on the other teams home court then your now favorites. So i guess Dallas vs Blazers since the series are over

ClippersDA

04/23/2014 - 10:17 PM PST

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On a side note, I was dragged to a dodgers game and I've never seen such incompetent staff at any sports arena. Ever. Been in a line for 30 minutes to get food without moving and the parking is ridiculous. They ran at of dodger dogs at a stand.

On a different note - I think Portland wins this won. Lamarcus and blake unstoppable. Interested to see the adjustments tomorrow and hopefully doc counter in game unlike preacher

huitzclip

04/23/2014 - 10:29 PM PST

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Game 3 should be a win to get home court again!

JQuick32

04/23/2014 - 10:32 PM PST

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I'm shocked. The Spurs look scared, like they did in 2011 against Memphis. Maybe they really are vulnerable this year.

tense2

04/23/2014 - 10:40 PM PST

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Not really. In games where the lower seed wins the 1st game on the other teams home court in the 1st round of the PO's they (GSW) have a .455% of winning the series. On the other hand, whoever wins game 3 has a high probability of winning the series. Which would work out to be a .897% for the Clippers and .697% for the Warriors.

Game 3 would be the deciding factor especially for the dubs after they got beaten by 40 points. if they got beaten again in 3 there done in 5...anyway watching the portland vs houston game i just can't decide whose gonna win in this series LA is dominating the houston frontline......

cleepers

04/23/2014 - 10:59 PM PST

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Harden and Curry? ...I hope the casual fans remember these playoffs when they vote for their starting all-stars next year. SMH.

ClippersDA

04/23/2014 - 11:05 PM PST

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We need to play with the pride of the blazers tomorrow. Cold as ice

ClippersDA

04/23/2014 - 11:06 PM PST

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Lamarcus > blake??? Not sure anymore but maybe

ClipperKyle32

04/23/2014 - 11:11 PM PST

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WoW! This Blazers-Rockets game is amazing. I am not mad at a single Clippers because they all are playing better than James Harden.
Game 3! The SoCal travles to NoCal. The turning point in the Civil....

I'm just glad that we're seeing lots even head to head matches lots of series tied you know? I remember in 2012 when teams were just getting swept, and it's like yeah we knew that was gonna happen tooooo predictable, but this keeps things interesting, never thought POR would take 2 games from the rockets, and washington 2 IN chicago. I like these playoffs.

ClipperPostman

04/23/2014 - 11:20 PM PST

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LA is playing out of his mind. Wonder how long that will last.

He is avg 44 ppg in the PO so far.

ClipTakeover

04/23/2014 - 11:20 PM PST

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Hopefully the players just ignore the atmosphere of Oracle and Doc does what he does. With the correct adjustments and focused mindset, I think we walk away with the W. GO CLIPS!

Dunkathon

04/23/2014 - 11:46 PM PST

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You're hoenstly going to rag on a team that was one rebound away from winning the NBA championship last year? Pfft, kids these days have no concept of respect. Were the Spurs "done" after Golden State took one of their home court (and nearly took another)? Of course not. Until the Spurs are actually knocked out, I won't ever count them out of any series.

Also, I'm glad to see people here acknowleding the greatness of Aldridge. My Blazers should finally get out of the first round this year, provided they don't utterly choke at home.

RickBlaine

04/23/2014 - 11:47 PM PST

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The Setting

Game three at the Oracle. The floor is polished. Gold playoff T-shirts have been draped over seat backs. Fitz and Barnett are preparing their notes. Curry and company are huddled in the tunnel, interlocked and shimmying in concert. The spectators have arrived, and the stadium is full. (This isn't Los Angeles where fans wander in mid quarter.). The atmosphere is electric...charged by 20,000 passionate, exuberant fans united in their love for their team and antipathy for the rival Clippers. Its going to be great night for the Warriors and their fans.

The Advantage

Though Warriors fans would have preferred a closer game on Monday, there is a certain mental advantage that benefits the Warriors here. The Warriors will be angry and their intensity will be very high. They will have their fans to buoy that intensity through the full 48 minutes. The Warriors also realize that they are a team that it is very difficult to beat twice in a row. It just doesn't happen to them very often unless the other team is the Spurs. Conversely, the Spurs have to do something they haven't done in two seasons: beat the Warriors at the Oracle. Moreover, there is a certain natural complacency mixed with timidity that often strikes teams who come off of a route. You can see the swelling of overconfidence on this Clipper fan board, and though the players are professionals, well, they are also human, and they too are likely to come in dangerously confident. It's something we've all seen time and time again.

The Prediction

Curry and Klay will have a big night together for the first time in this series. Green will have a big game, and he will frustrate Griffin. Jordan will have a great game for the Clippers, and Paul will do well on the offensive side of the ball as well. Harrison Barnes will throw down a rim rocker that fires up the whole arena, and Steve Blake will have a strong 3rd quarter that will establish him as one of the Warrior's important reserves for the remainder of the series.

Final score: Warriors 109 Clippers 101

Warriors!

CP3Best

04/23/2014 - 11:57 PM PST

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Hey Rick, I'm going to admit something to you fan-to-fan, I'M SCARED! This game is gonna be awesome. Love the gold, the screaming, the raining & pouring that Klay and Curry gonna be showin'. But let me tell you something. Our Clippers are BETTER than the Spurs, better then OKC, better than the Heat. This is one of the best all around teams I have ever seen. An unmatched offensive potency, with one of the most rugged defenses. So GS better bring it, cause my Clips are ready to play! May the best team win! This is gonna be one of the best series we've had in a decade so get ready...

LuckTheFakers

04/24/2014 - 12:06 AM PST

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This one will not be very close. GSW will come out with a lot of energy and take the lead briefly in the first, but then the Clippers will go on their customary run and won't trail again after the first. Clipps to go up by at least 20 with the final score maybe closer than the game really was.

ClippersDA

04/24/2014 - 12:16 AM PST

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If we'd kept home court this would be over in 5

CP3Best

04/24/2014 - 12:17 AM PST

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Let me just say I'm glad Portland is beating the Rockets like they are, I don't like Patrick Beverly, not after he injured Westbrook and took him out of action for last year's postseason, that's DIRTY, like when the Dubs ejected Griffin, I hope Rockets lose the series. Aldridge is owning them LOL.

RickBlaine

04/24/2014 - 12:18 AM PST

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CP3Best,

All season long I have been hoping that Warriors face the Clippers in the playoffs. They both play an exciting brand of basketball and they have a visceral mutual contempt that makes this a very heated rivalry. The entertainment value of this series is off the charts.

Unfortunately, when Bogut went down the last week of the season, my feelings changed. I did not want them to face the Clippers without him. But injuries are a part of basketball and as Kurtis Blow once said, "These are the breaks."

You've read my posts, so you know how I feel about the Clippers. But I respect their talent and Doc has really shored up a lot areas that needed work. For the sake of basketball fans in general, I hope this series plays out close and ends in 6.

Warriors!

CP3Best

04/24/2014 - 12:19 AM PST

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If I had wings I could fly. Don't dwell on the shoulda coulda wouldas!

LuckTheFakers

04/24/2014 - 12:23 AM PST

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I think it'll still be over in 5, but there's a chance that the refs will seriously rig game 4 after GSW looks bad in two straight games.

LuckTheFakers

04/24/2014 - 12:25 AM PST

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I wanted the Rockets to win because they matchup pretty well with the Spurs. Not sure if the Blazers can do anything against the Spurs.. LMA is playing out of his mind but part of that is that the Rockets defense is just godawful. Anyway, I didn't expect Dallas to "pull a Clippers" and blow out the Spurs tonight, so maybe the Spurs aren't as scary as I think.

Exactly. Who says we can't win two in GS and close out at home. Yes, GSW is a good home team, but Blake's shown that when he stays in the game, he's unstoppable.

slestack11

04/24/2014 - 01:03 AM PST

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The Clippers have deliberately shut down Curry so the Warriors are going to have to win with either Lee or Thompson. I just don't see how they can stop the Griffin/Deandre combo in the paint without Bogut. Splash brothers better get used to the Smash brothers.

jarca

04/24/2014 - 01:14 AM PST

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I really don't care about the spurs. Our guys athleticism can compensate for our lack of experience and fundamental. I'm more worried of OKC since we might have a hard time stopping Durant and Westbrook. And OKC gets a lot of calls too.

bk201

04/24/2014 - 01:36 AM PST

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Then my friend we better hope memphis win against OKC

toohipcliptoslip

04/24/2014 - 02:13 AM PST

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Athleticism is highly over rated. Maybe I'm saying this because I put mine somewhere ten years ago and haven't found it yet. BUT. Fundamentals give reliable results. Guys with good fundamentals don't have to depend on power or speed which tend to go as you get tired or hurt. Zbo and Marc aren't athletic but they are sound and can ground you down. When you depend on fundamentals it's easier to correct a mistake because the problem is maybe moving a foot or taking a longer step. The match however is really Pop vs Doc.

Back to GSW The difference between Wilt and Jordan is this. MJ would kill your mother to win while Wilt would open the door for her and give her roses. If we would enjoy running over Jackson's mother with a dump truck we will win. It's all about imposing your will. Bogout Schmogut it shouldn't matter. We are the better team.

It will be a battle of coaches

Shut down or at least slow Curry. Keep a body on him. There is a difference between hurting someone and injuring them. If they cheap shot Blake HURT Curry

DJ needs to own Jermaine like he did, with athleticism ( did I just contradict myself?)

It would be better to come from 20 behind in the last five and win by one that have a steady lead of five. The idea is not to win but to hand them their hearts on a paper plate and let them know that they don't even deserve china.

If we do this I don't think the Splash Brothers have the heart to come back but it's about imposing your will. Barkley said f**k home court advantage. You have to win two in the road and a champ does.

We will now see what this team is made of. There is a difference between a pretty highlight reel dunk and a "Sniff my mid posterior parts while it's in your face" dunk.

Are you trying to write a short story or trying to be a narrator? Stop with the theatrics and bullsh*t! The warriors fans can't save them, I don't care how good ur fans are. If the bobcats had fans like the warriors I can guarantee they still wouldn't beat the heat. It comes to down to chemistry, good defense, and a good coach! Something the warriors don't have,

So please save the bullshit theatrics I can't stand posts like this.

Clippers are winnin this series 4-1 or 4-2 hands down.

toohipcliptoslip

04/24/2014 - 05:22 AM PST

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Actually I kinda like his writing style. It does give one a sense of excitement.Ii would however remove the parentheses about LA fans. It ruins the flow. In the first line I would suggest "expected a closer game" everybody prefers a closer game. Also timidity isn't quite the right term. How about hubris or maybe sloth. Winners by 40 aren't timid. I would also lose the bit about the players being professionals. Finally with the use of the word "swelling" I would consider a pe*** joke. something like maybe

Swelling like that of a 14 year old boy who's hopes will finish long before the game is over.

The reason the Clippers lost game 1 was not because of refs but because Blake Griffin

Chris missed Blake. Chris was tired that is why his decision making was off. That Is why he turned it over. Not saying that Blake is better than Chris , but Chris needs Blake to succeed and vice versa

Silasie

04/24/2014 - 07:12 AM PST

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^

"The reason the Clippers lost game 1 was not because of refs but because Blake Griffin"

That is slightly odd logic because the reason Griffin didn't influence the game was because of the refs

pageC4

04/24/2014 - 08:08 AM PST

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the only reason the spurs got that far was because an injury to westbrook opened up the west...recount the spurs history since 2007 for me...post it year by year and u tell me how it looks. also history doesn't care about almost winning...theres no trophy for being a rebound away..kid

Your expectation that I should respect a rival team is not shared by everyone. If you care so much about my negative perception of the Spurs and care to see a more favorable opinion of them there are a number of spurs forums you can visit.

I also have to address this to you and fans of other teams...this is a Clippers forum, not s Spurs forum, not a Warriors forum, and clearly not a Blazers forum. As Clippers fans we view other teams as rivals and you are going to get opinions that may not make you happy. If you think I'm being disrepectful then this is not the place for you.

Also, the spurs have a great history, but previous history does not determine the future. That is to say the Spurs have 4 championships, but that doesn't mean that history will give them more. There's an old saying "your prior accolades do not excuse your present indescretions."

RickBlaine

04/24/2014 - 08:47 AM PST

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Nice. I like it.

FightOnRon

04/24/2014 - 08:59 AM PST

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DOdgers..every year they "study and improve" the parking lots,every year they get worse. Every year the concessions workers are a year older and a year slower,30 minutes, you hauled arse. Don't go to a Dodger game hungry.

REFS are : Ken Mauer,Eric Lewis, Ed Malloy ,Bennie Adams. NO Clipper killer Davis (isn't it a wonder that he is never investigated by the NBA for making sure we lose every game he refs?).

We only need to take 1 there really. I expect the crowd believes they win the game, not the team. IF the crowd decided we would be undefeated this year (DickLame has us confused with Faker fans). So they'll be all lathered up in the fine drunken Oakland tradition. Honestly, what I would do, is CP3's hammy is still off, rest him and take game 4 to get our homecourt back.

But,CP3 has that secret drive that makes him the best PG in the league,he won't let this one get away. It will be close. 108-105 Clippers.

RickBlaine

04/24/2014 - 09:07 AM PST

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Pedestrian.

First, the Warriors are not the Bobcats and the Clippers are not the heat. Silly boy.

Secondly, unlike the Clippers, who have lost 3 out of the last 4 to the Heat, the Warriors have played the Heat evenly the past two seasons.

And of course you care how good the Warrior's home court crowd is. That's why teams fight for the home court in the regular season, and that's why posters like ClippersDA say things like, "If we'd kept home court this would be over in 5." He is right to despair. Admit it. You are very, very nervous about losing home court advantage. Tonight the best fans in the NBA will be congregating in the church of the Oracle, and the good reverend is going to have them all praising JC. And by that I don't mean Jamal Crawford.

Warriors!

BaadMaster

04/24/2014 - 09:14 AM PST

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Obviously, every good team has it stars. LeBron, BG, MJ, Kobe, Dirk, Shaq, Hakeem, Bird, etc. Even Lionel Aldridge. Take these guys out for most of the game and the team loses. Duh. That is why they are "stars." This argument bores me. Griffin taken out by the refs gives the game to the other team. This is not rocket science.

If Blake were not that important, he would be on the bench, not paid top dollar, not do commercials and he would not be Blake. But then the refs would not bother to foul him out.

ClippersDA

04/24/2014 - 09:51 AM PST

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I'm nostalgic for the days when you weren't posting here. Every time I look you are posting. Luckily for me an ignore button exists.

ClippersDA

04/24/2014 - 09:53 AM PST

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brothers is to the warriors what Davis is to us.

Silasie

04/24/2014 - 10:07 AM PST

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Agreed.

sz123456

04/24/2014 - 10:26 AM PST

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Haha, I love that you've given up arguing that your players will win this game. It's now become, "Our fans will save us!". At no point on Monday did your team look in sync, while we are firing on all cylinders.

Better keep hoping your fans will win this game because your players are outmatched.

BTW, your crowd is not on the same playing field as Memphis and OKC, not worth trying to brag about.

namzug

04/24/2014 - 10:26 AM PST

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I'm going to enjoy it tonight when the crowd is going nuts only to be silenced by Blake or DJ throwing down some thunder bolts over a David Lee or Jermaine O'neal. It will be quite the scene.

Your prediction of Curry and Klay finally putting it together at the same time, and Green having a big game and frustrating Griffin is laughable. What's next Bogut not being injured? Baron coming out of the stands to lead another Cinderella run. David Lee playing good defense. Iggy becoming a marksman from deep.

We aren't hoping things that haven't happened yet to magically get put together during the Playoffs. We expect Blake to dominate, because he has dominated this year. We expect for CP3 to dissect your defense because that is why he is universally regarded as the best point guard in the league. We expect DJ to dominate on the boards because he led the league in rebounds all year.

CP3Best

04/24/2014 - 10:34 AM PST

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I think Paul should rest his hammy tonight, but if we come out ready and focused like last game he should be fine, he's had 2 days of rest after only what 29 minutes? And he said it was fine even then.